


natsukashii

by orphan_account



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Murder, Bonding, Brainwashing, Character Death, M/M, Slow Burn, Talon!Genji, lots and lots of denial
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 11:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7048096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(adj.) of some small thing that brings you suddenly, joyously back to fond memories,<br/>not with a wistful longing for what's past, but with an appreciation of the good times.</p><p>or in which a talon operative by the name of genji shimada meets an annoying<br/>omnic monk who just won't stop trying to save him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. introduction

**Author's Note:**

> hey alright so this is my first fanfic since 2013 so if i'm ooc PLEASE TELL ME SO I CAN FIX THAT.  
> beta'd by my good friend jess, what a team player

The stench of blood has stopped being sickening. It stopped being that a long time ago, ever since he felt the blade slice through his flesh and the cybernetics installed into his body. Talon had that way of convincing him that slitting someone’s throat wasn’t so bad, that the scarlet dripping down metal plates was his duty, that if he didn’t that would be wrong. He agreed.

 

 He always agreed.

 

 Genji examines the shurikens embedded in the corpse, chunks of meat dislodged from the area where the weapons had entered. He was not the cleanest, he gets a strange excitement from leaving behind an unrecognizable corpse, seeing what he can leave behind with the extent of his abilities. The calculated slices through their stomach, the profuse bleeding, it all shows that he immensely cares about his work. He’s glad to be such a passionate operative, he prides himself on his great work ethic. His thoughts sometimes drift to neater assassinations, with a familiar figure. Genji thinks it’s his brother, what was his name again? Hanzo? Yes, Hanzo. The one who made him into this living weapon, he’ll have to thank him later, if they cross paths. A thanks that involves lots of death and maybe a bit of murder.

 

 He hears a cry of fear, looking up quickly and viewing a frightful woman viewing the crime scene with a frail, quivering frame. Genji debates with himself whether to kill her too, but it would be good for some publicity and to tell the people that Talon is there and they are merciless. He remembers being told who his target was, that he was a generous and kind man and that he was practically everybody’s friend in this neighborhood. A generous and kind man, who had some important political ties. A good pick, he thinks, a tactical decision to spread fear and anguish. Genji gestures like his affiliate Reaper, with one thumb slowly dragged across his neck in a menacing fashion. It does the job, the lady beginning to scream and cry. As he retreats, he hears her call the police. How nice, how she thinks this will be solved so easily, how she thinks she will be saved so easily. He’ll remember her face, and he’ll come back with a personal project that needs fulfilling.

 

 Red lights disappear from sight, black armor melting in with the dark of the night. The only illumination that dares touch his body is the unfeeling light from the moon, the colonies that rest upon the celestial object a stark contrast to the meteors that are dispersed among it. The helicopter and its inhabitants are waiting patiently, his arrival provoking the engine to start as he jumps nimbly into the vehicle. The aircraft raises into the sky rather noisily, as Genji snugly puts himself into one of the seats. There is silence, except for the whirring as well as the soft breathing from his comrades. It calms his nerves.

* * *

 

 Genji gets a nod of approval, and that is all he receives. It’s more praise than the usual cold stillness. So emotionless, Talon is, but it’s something he’s used to. After all, he isn’t so different. He’s still a heartless killer, a living weapon. He sees Widowmaker in the corner of his vision, returning from a recent job he presumes, her usual calm demeanor in place as she slings her sniper rifle over her shoulder. They don’t talk, but they exchange a glance before parting ways.

 

 He brushes shoulders with Reaper on his way to his quarters, earning a threatening growl in response. He shrugs the encounter off, knowing that he could face him any day without too much trouble. Although, he silently hopes the mercenary leaves soon. He carries this heavy, deathly atmosphere wherever he goes. It’s unnerving. He doesn’t like it. Genji is aware that Reaper is a helpful asset to Talon with his particularly offensive skill set, but he can’t help but think that it would be better here without him. It seems incredibly likely that the killer would go rogue at some point. 

 

 Shaking his head, the cyborg retreats into his room, waiting for the next mission assigned to him. Turns out he already has one, a message on the electronic board on the doorway.

 

 “Assassinate a member of the Shambali. “

 

 He somewhat questions the reasoning, as they already had taken out Mondatta, the leader, but he doesn’t inquire further. That’s dangerous. Besides, it seems easy enough.


	2. first encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> koyaanisqatsi  
> (n.) nature out of balance; a way of life so  
> unbalanced that you need a new way.
> 
> or in which the mission goes sour.

Serene. It would be the first word Genji would use to describe the terrain he was navigating, tranquil and full of lush nature. It was the first location he suspected one of the members to be roaming, assuming they would want to be separate from civilization and closer to the origins of life. The melodic singing of the sparrows, the constant noise of a babbling brook, it’s an ideal spot for meditation; lots of sounds to focus in on and away from the constant racket of society.

He decides to stick to the shadows, the shade cast by the trees blending in with the black metal on his body. The sunlight streaming through the leaves barely graces his figure, as he avoids any potential luminosity that could be added to his lithe frame.   

From where he is right now, Genji can make out a figure in the distance. They seem frail; there’s no bulk on their body, with arms skinny and without substance. Besides that, there isn’t anything incredibly remarkable besides the fact they’re floating several feet above the ground. It matches the general description he was given by Talon, the all-around basic attributes of an omnic monk. Confirming this, the cyborg stalks closer, careful not to cause commotion as to not attract the attention of the robot. He meticulously places his steps, years of training subconsciously being put to use as he closes the distance between him and his target. The shurikens load up and fall snugly in between his fingers, ready for use.

Subtly at first, the feeling of anticipation rises, becoming unbearable when the stranger gets clearer in his vision. He can feel the self-control slowly slip away as he gets more and more lost in twisted fantasies of extermination, his pace getting quicker the more eager he is to slice through metal. He’s never really killed an omnic, as silly as that sounds, he’s always been sent on missions that involve assassinating humans. He wonders if those buckets of bolts have the same chilling scream as his other victims. His imagination immediately comes up with an answer- a shriek rising in pitch, suddenly glitching out in the last few seconds of the omnic’s life, before cutting out abruptly as he lands the final blow.

The thought gets him incredibly excited. Maybe one day he’ll learn how to control those little daydreams he has, although they never got in the way of his missions. Shaking his head, he focuses his concentration to the present. It does him no good to have his center of attention be anything other than his purpose and his duty.

The last thing he suspected as he advanced onto the presumably unsuspecting and defenseless monk was for them to turn around and greet him of all things, although that was exactly what happened.

“Hello there.”

He steps back, flinching out of reflex as the other begins to wave. The _nerve_ \- it irritates him how casual they are in his presence. He’s not exactly used to that behavior, usually when he’s around it’s tense with terror; the looming threat of death overwhelmingly present. Now, it simply seems like a calm evening chat with a distant friend.

Genji despises it. He can feel his hands curling into fists because this omnic isn’t taking him seriously. He’s an assassin for one of the most threatening terrorist organizations in the world, he’s murdered countless innocents in cold blood - he isn’t going to be taken for some friendly face by a pacifist he’s supposed to kill.

Before he can retort or even make a move, they begin to continue speaking, voice too polite, too even- considering the context of their encounter.

“You were planning to harm me, correct?”

Is this conversation taking place in the real world?

"Excuse me?”

“You currently have a particularly hostile stance, a threatening aura, as well as shurikens at the ready. These are usually signs that somebody has the intention to attack you. Was I correct in assuming this?”

He sighs in disbelief, tempted to just walk away, but that would get him several severe punishments. He isn’t in the mood for twelve hours of electrocution followed by more unspeakable things, which leads him to decide to humor the monk for a while. It’s not like they have anywhere to run, both of them are in a relatively isolated area and society is hundreds of miles away.

“You were right. I was going to attack you, but you turned around and this idiotic talk started. How did you even know I was here, anyway? I didn’t make any noise.”

“Instinct.”

“Excuse _me?”_

“I believe it’s what you humans call the sixth sense.”

“First of all, I call bullshit. Second of all, how do you know I’m a human? I have the same metal that makes up most of your body, you can’t see any flesh.”

“Also instinct.”

“Are you going to answer all my questions with instinct?”

“Perhaps.”

Genji can feel his blood boil in annoyance, making muted, frustrated noises as he struggles to decipher the omnic’s motives. What does he want from him? Ugh, this isn’t getting him anywhere, what is he even doing? He has a mission to complete. He’s been too busy talking to the person he’s supposed to kill that he hasn’t done any killing at all. Whatever, all it’s been doing for the monk is delay the inevitable. Either way, chatting or no chatting, somebody’s going to die; and it sure as hell isn’t going to be him.

“Weren’t you supposed to kill me by now?”

This machine just doesn’t know when to shut up, do they? He takes a glance at the shurikens in his hand, and back up at the stranger. Might as well silence them himself, nobody else is going to do it for him. Plus, he’ll be done with his objective. Two birds with one stone.

Genji dashes forward, ready to sever the exposed wires of the robot in front of him, when one of the orbs rotating around the other’s neck hits him square in the chest. He staggers in the middle of his sprint, watching as the sphere begins to glow a sickly purple and takes a position above his head. The world seems to spin, the omnic a shaky image in his vision along with everything else. They begin to chatter again, their synthesized voice muffled like they’re far away, but it’s so obvious that they’re close; it doesn’t make any sense, nothing fits right anymore.

“It seems you may have underestimated my defensive capabilities.”

The scenery flickers black, the sensation of being choked causing him to claw at his throat in a futile attempt to relieve him of the feeling. Genji doesn’t know what’s going on or what the monk did to make him struggle this way, the only thing that is present in his mind is to survive. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like that’s a plausible option; as his knees buckle, it occurs to him that he’s been beaten.

It’s probably the shock that makes him pass out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALRIGHT * cracks knuckles * *breaks back* *severs limbs* IT'S TIME FOR SOME MAGICAL EXPLANATION. 
> 
> 1\. why hasn't it updated for like, 2 weeks?  
> my anxiety sucks, and i was having trouble focusing and finding motivation to finish this chapter. it's not nearly as long as i wanted it to be so sorry about that, promise the third chapter will be longer! in addition, i was sorta trying to find what i wanted for this story? i only planned the beginning and the end honestly, so the events in between weren't very clear so i had to sort it out before i was confident enough to continue.
> 
> 2\. how was zenyatta able to take down genji so easily? isn't genji a capable assassin?  
> if zenyatta can melt all the tanks what makes you think he cant take down a naruto cosplayer. food for thought  
> but seriously? basically the thing is with the orb of discord in this fanfic is that it brings out your negative qualities and worst fears and amplifies it. i didn't describe it much in this chapter but boy oh boy it's gonna come up later. with talon!genji; that bad shit?? it's going to fuck somebody up so B) 
> 
> anyway any other questions you can comment as?? kudos are appreciated. i squeal over every single one.


	3. second conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yuputka  
> (n.) the phantom sensation of  
> something crawling on your skin.
> 
> or in which pride decides which path to take.

When he awakens, he is not where he lost consciousness. There is no grass against his frame, nor is there the distant noise of the gurgling river nearby. Instead, Genji feels scratchy wood underneath him, an unfamiliar musty scent lingering in the air. The reason for the abrupt change in scenery... he can’t come to any conclusion other than that omnic brought him here. Why would they? He was so vulnerable; they could’ve wiped another assassin off of the planet if they wanted to. It would’ve been so easy, to just end his life right there, in between the endless rows of gnarled oaks and elms.

Shaking his head, he decides that their motivations will be thought about later. The current issue at hand is getting out of - well, wherever he is. From his quick observations, the surrounding area seems desolate, except for the blurry figure outside. Genji assumes this is the monk, the one who made himself as weak as a defenseless child. Being reminded of how effortlessly he was taken down, despite all of his years of experience and practice, by a common robot; it doesn’t sit well with him. There’s revulsion clawing at his gut, unfathomable and overwhelming. It directs itself towards himself for being so utterly useless, as well as boiling rage at the omnic for being insufferable. It’s not fair, he had the obvious advantage, the stripped armor and the exposed wires were evidently portraying the fact that they were frail. Aren’t monks supposed to be pacifists or something? They couldn’t have possibly been able to have the upper hand at all. 

He finds himself walking closer to them, not bothering to conceal himself as it seems the omnic has the magical ability to notice practically invisible murderers. He instinctively moves to bring out his blade, shocked when his hand is met with nothingness. Fuck. First, he was defeated, and now he’s unarmed. The situation keeps getting bleaker and bleaker, and it gets even worse when he realizes they’ve been acknowledged to his presence. 

“Ah, it seems you have awakened,” they begin, synthesized voice smooth as silk, “How are you feeling?”

“I am feeling fine. Where are we?” He replies warily, cautious of revealing his disoriented state in fear that the omnic might take advantage of his evident weakness. His pace is cautious, overbearingly stiff and meticulously calculated, as if not to divulge any soft points on his frame. The omnic lets out a hum in response, low and mellifluous. Genji swears that if the other had the ability to form an expression, it would be in the shape of a smile.

“It is somewhere east of where we had our first encounter, I believe it is a barn. Judging by its state, it has been unused for quite some time.”

Alright, abandoned barn. He could work with this, bide his time and begrudgingly indulge the omnic until he could find his weapons. He’s survived worse.

“Do you remember what brought you here?”

“I remember a certain monk hitting me with an orb and making me pass out.”

“Ah, yes. I apologize, although I could not just let you assault me like that. I wish I could’ve solved the matter in a more diplomatic fashion; it would have been far less painful for you.”

Genji shifts, unable to respond; how does one respond to such statements? ‘Me too’? He instead crosses his arms, looking away quickly.

The omnic had stated that he didn’t want to hurt him, although current events made him think otherwise. However, if it was indeed true, he was sure that was something he might be able to exploit later on. The charity of generous hearts is something he loves to take advantage of, it’ll be much more satisfying to do it to the other. 

“I had not expected you to faint, if I am going to be honest. Usually, that doesn’t happen; I’ve only seen it occur once or twice. That particular orb, the one which amplifies the malice in someone’s soul, usually just makes them weak. I suppose that does confirm yourself as a killer. Hm.”

The cyborg scoffs, not in disbelief at the statement but rather at the overly nonchalant way the robot had said it. He taps absently on his metal arm, to keep his fidgety fingers occupied. He becomes so enraptured by the pattern of noise that he almost misses the rest of the monk’s rambling.

“If you do not mind me asking,” their posture changes, becoming more casual and slackened, “did you see anything before you passed out?”

“Nothing but black.” Genji replies coldly, although the comment makes him think. Did he? He remembers the sensation of flames dancing across his skin, the pressure of hands clenching around his neck. All of it corresponded with the faint and phantom feeling of touch, but in the sense of vision, it was just an overwhelming darkness.

Not that the omnic needs to know that, however. He’ll stick with that description for now.

“Ah, okay. I’m sorry if that was too personal of an inquiry, I was merely curious about the effects of the discord orb being harmful to that degree. If you would like to, you could specify your boundaries and I will take much care to try and not cross them. After all, it seems like we’ll be each other's only company for a little while. We are in quite the solitary location.”

‘That’s what you think’. The reach of Talon was stupendous, large spans of land under their surveillance 24/7. With that kind of power, he was sure he would be found soon enough; the only downside, he muses, is the eventual punishment for failure. He’s too skillful and rare to simply replace or kill him, so he’s sure they’d pull something creatively agonizing. The torture for defeat is almost as bad as being stuck with a bucket of bolts in the middle of nowhere.

He walks away, leaving the other behind quite suddenly as he goes to survey the area. Nothing but quiet, rolling hills overrun with luscious emerald fields. He could see why someone would build a barn here, but as he surveys the area he can’t see a house anywhere. Did the farmer just sleep in their barn, snoozing on some haystacks? Genji seriously doubts it, frowning underneath the faceplate. Aren’t barns also supposed to be coupled with a farm, too? With a sigh, he decides it’s nothing worth investigating right now. Sometimes, his sixth sense was wrong, there was no need to panic before it proves to be dangerous (which it hasn’t). Although, maybe there is something dangerous here. His mind wanders back to the monk, meditating patiently back at the barn. He could run away now, see if any small Talon branches were nearby the area; but the knot of resentment in his gut protests. Stay, it says to him, make them suffer. They humiliated you. Stay. 

 

When he returns, the robot is meditating quietly in the corner of the dilapidated building, orbs omitting musical chords as they rest. A mild curiosity rises in him slightly, but he smothers it before he actually wants to ask a question about how that works. He gracefully strides in, posture rigid and strict. The omnic perks up when he notices his presence, waving serenely as if he was an old friend. God, he hates how friendly they are. It’s so much easier for people to hate you, rather than be kind. It makes his spine crawl, and he grits his teeth roughly when they look at him expectantly for a returned greeting. He only grunts to acknowledge the other’s existence, and it seems to satisfy them quite well; as they return to their contemplation.

Genji shuffles to the opposite corner of the room, resting his back against the scratchy wall. He crosses his arms, dimming his lights as he begins to succumb into slumber. He’ll get payback, whether it kills him or not. He’s just tenacious like that. The world is slowly fading to black, and his goal floats back into his subconscious before he eventually submits to sleep.

Make him pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE BITCH  
> THOUGHT U SAW THE LAST OF ME
> 
> sorry procrastination is the Worst. this was basically Laziness Strikes Back  
> it's super short, which sucks but i'm still really invested into getting this story done i just never do it on time,, so irregular updates are probably gonna be a thing ):  
> i can't promise when chapters can come out but i still hope u stick w/ this fic!!!  
> ty for any bookmark and/or kudos you leave, i really appreciate every single one!! ( i still cant believe it has 200 )


End file.
